biogaia baby probiotic drops review and giveaway

There really is no dignified way to say it, so I'll just say it: Ethan has always been a super constipated baby. When he was a newborn, we dealt with gas and colic and his reflux and as he got older, we moved onto the sheer joys of constipation. I'm talking an entire day (or two or three or four) of grunting, writhing in discomfort and a devastating inability to have a bowel movement. Just ask my husband about the time we were out to dinner and the entire restaurant was turning around to stare at the little boy in the highchair (that'd be Ethan) who was grunting and carrying on in such misery so loud that everyone could hear and undoubtedly lose their appetite. It hasn't been pleasant. We went through months of all-natural, herbal supplements or laxatives before I consulted with our pediatrician and we both acknowledged that probiotics would be the best route here. Armed with determination to end Ethan's grunting and absolute misery once and for all, I consulted a nutritionist at a local health food store. He was quick to point me in the direction of "the best, most gentle probiotic on the market for babies." He sold me. Of course, this probiotic had to be difficult. It had to be served in a cold bottle which contradicted Ethan's reflux thickener that was added to a warm bottle. It must have tasted as great as it smelled because getting Ethan to take it was a struggle. After a day on this new probiotic, he began having diarrhea. The diarrhea ensued until I made the decision to stop the probiotic -- in which case the diarrhea stopped. I couldn't help but notice the ingredients included dairy and fish, none of which seemed helpful in my little guy's tummy. This is when BioGaia came into the picture and saved the day!


BioGaia's baby probiotic drops are a little bottle with big results. For starters, I was thrilled to see that their ingredients were way more gentle than the previous probiotics we've tried. They contain Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis which is found in breastmilk. In fact, it's one of the first bacteria naturally established in your newborn's digestive system. You can't get much gentler or more natural. Most other probiotic strands -- like the one I've tried previously -- are only temporary inhabitants that come from your food intake. The other ingredients in BioGaia's baby probiotic drops? Only sunflower oil, medium chain triglyceride oil and silicon dioxide. That's it. No fish, no wheat, no dairy, no harmful chemicals, additives, allergens or preservatives.

BioGaia doesn't have an odor and it doesn't have a taste. You can add it to a cool bottle of milk, juice, water or other liquids (you don't want it to be too warm so it doesn't kill the good bacteria in the probiotic), in food or you can even give it via spoon. This is the route we take. I put five drops on a spoon for Ethan and he slurps it up in the morning before he has his breakfast.

There's no struggle to get him to take a thick, chalky liquid. There's no struggle at all. Just one slurp of the odorless, watery liquid from the spoon and that's it, he's finished.

I noticed a difference in Ethan's digestive comfort on the second day of him being on BioGaia's probiotic drops. The grunting, writhing in discomfort, the pushing, the straining, the misery was over and done with that quickly. I thought maybe it was too soon to tell but continued the drops regularly in the mornings. The BioGaia probiotic drops were doing their job quickly and, most importantly, naturally and safely. His digestive system was regulated and he was able to have normal, painless bowel movements. His overall demeanor changed when he no longer had to spend upwards of five hours straining to go to the bathroom. His entire feeding habits and bathroom habits have completely transitioned into a much more pleasant experience (for him, for us and for every patron in whatever restaurant we eat at in the future!).

BioGaia probiotic drops are safe, gentle and they really do the trick -- naturally. They also come in the form of probiotic straws and chewable tablets, perfect for children of all ages. Working with BioGaia has been wonderful as not only have we been able to change Ethan's digestive health for the better with their fabulous probiotic drops, I've been able to catch a glimpse into BioGaia as a company. They truly believe in their product and the well-being of our little ones.

With his tummy troubles out of the way, Ethan is free to play, grow, develop and explore the way a baby is supposed to. Thank you, BioGaia!

BUY IT: You can purchase BioGaia at Walgreens or online. Click here to find an option near you!

WIN IT: Thanks to the amazing people over at BioGaia, one lucky reader will have the chance to win BioGaia baby probiotic drops! This giveaway is open to US residents and will close on April 4th, 2012.

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